Ranma 1/2: Civil War (formerly Enslaved)
        chap 1a: Rewriting History
-----------------
setting and major char by Rumiko Takahashi
add'l char & situations by Gregg Sharp
webpage: http://members.aol.com/MetroAnime/main.html
hey people, i DO listen. some of you really hated
this stuff, some liked parts of it. here's an 
attempt to take the ideas you liked, dump ones
that you didn't and combine them. enjoy.
--------------
	Grey(1) looked at what appeared
to be a large lump of translucent spaghetti.
"THAT is a mess. You always start with a
simple thing, don't you, Toltiir, and then
it just continues to pile up."

	The black cat blinked. "Well,
I suppose it certainly fits my label as 
'Sower Of Chaos' but it lacks a certain
aesthetic quality..."(2)

	Grey waited.

	"OK, it lacks a LOT of aesthetic
quality." The black cat briefly shifted to
previous incarnation forms, becoming a
roguish looking elf, then a coyote, then
a glowing geometric shape before reverting
to the cat. "What you gonna do now, Brian?"

	Briefly checking to see if there
was actually anyone named Brian around (you
could never tell when Toltiir was involved),
Grey pointed out that at least some of the 
timelines should have faded. Instead nearly
all of the timelines altered during the course
of the Bet were doing quite well.

	"So if I twist, and kick, and push,"
Toltiir did so, moving strands and watching
the configuration change. "Oh my."
----------------------------------------------
	Cologne faced her biggest challenge
as a newly appointed Elder of the tribe. Mascara
was a tough and saavy fighter, old even when
Cologne was young. Mascara also held to the
old roles that had been necessary in the past,
if not terribly beloved.

	The role of the Nichieju as assassins.
Slayers who came unarmed in the night, using
styles like Hidden Weapons and the Chestnut
Fist to enforce terror on those who would not
leave the amazons alone, or who had things 
that the amazons wanted.

	On occasion an amazon would become
a spy as well, something that Mascara had 
engineered a few times. The beautiful if headstrong
girl that captured the heart of some general or
government official, who used her influence and
position for the good of the tribe, it was sneaky 
and it was underhanded, but even Cologne had to
admit that it HAD worked in the past.

	The Nichieju were at a crossroads now
due to the actions of one man who had come to
live near the village briefly. One man who had stolen
from the tribe not only treasures, but secrets. A
man who had even managed to touch Cologne's
heart by showing a piece of his own heart that 
had not completely been corrupted.

	Happosai. Cologne had argued against
pursuing the man, to the ends of the Earth. He could
hide just too well, a specialty of his "Anything Goes"
school was removing himself from potentially lethal
encounters. Then the Musk had come in another of
their little skirmishes.
---------------------
	"Ah," said Grey, "so Mascara had died in
the battle with the Musk in the original timeline."

	Toltiir's tail flicked back and forth. He 
wasn't happy. Mascara had no sense of humor.(3)
----------------------
	Cologne stood at one end of the Challenge
Log. Mascara on the other. Strength was one of the
underlying principles of the Nichieju. "Strength, Courage,
Honor To The Tribe" read the engraving on the floor
of the Audience Hall. To prove whose ideas were the
stronger, to prove whose philosophies would take the
elders forward over the next century, might have taken
place in a Greek style debate. Instead it was to be by
combat.

	Cologne fought and fought hard. She saw
that while assassins and spies might be necessary, to
actively continue this role would eventually bring down
the wrath of the outside world upon them. That with
devices such as rifles becoming commonplace, that
a quieter image would be needed. She also didn't want
to see the amazons become the very sort of organization
they had escaped centuries ago: cruel, vindictive, and
repressive with no value for human life or dignity.

	Mascara fought for her own ideals. She
fought to keep the tribe alive by any means necessary.
If that meant killing a few outsiders here and there, and
making sure that to kill one amazon brought massive
collateral destruction to those who had ordered it, so
be it. The end justified the means, ANY means.(4)
	
	The fight was short, nasty, and saw ki 
blasts taking out some nearby roofs.

	Cologne lost.

	Spies were sent to Japan, waiting for
evidence of Happosai's whereabouts to come.
He hadn't stayed still long enough to be given
a Kiss Of Death, but he would be treated as
such. Happosai, and any who stood with him,
would die.
--------------------------
	Kasumi hid in a cupboard, trying to
avoid making even the tiniest noise. Akane had
whimpered and they'd pulled up the floorboards
until they'd found where her mother had hidden
Akane and Nabiki.

	The strange women had come and
attacked, without warning, without mercy. Now
her father was backed into a corner by really
tough looking women, who kept asking Soun
Tendo a number of questions about a man
named "Happosai." 

	He wasn't talking, and Kasumi 
made an involuntary noise when she heard an
amazon swear, followed by a loud thump as
something (her father as it turned out) hit the 
floor.

	Commands were given in an odd 
language. There was the sound of running,
then nothing. Kasumi waited, then the seven
year old peeked out the door.

	No one was visible. She snuck out,
and immediately went to where her mother lay.
She knew the head wound was bad, and she
knew she had to call for help. 

	She smelled the smoke first. The 
front room was engulfed already and the
flames were spreading through the house
rapidly. Kasumi whimpered and ran back
to where her father was.

	He wouldn't wake up. Kasumi ran
to her mother, maybe she could wake her
up. They could then get her father up. 

	Kasumi tried, but she wasn't very
big, she wasn't very strong, and she was, after
all, only seven years old. She was holding on
to her mother and crying as the flames cut the
kitchen off from the rest of the house.

	She screamed as the ceiling crashed
down on her and her mother, the burning, the
pain, the feeling of ribs cracking, then passing out
from the smoke she had inhaled.

	A hand reached out and plucked
her out of the house. "<My, my, child. It's a 
good thing we were checking on the other 
strike team and came by here.>"

	"<Cologne, she is the enemy.>" One
of the others said, holding a spear as if to cast
it at the little girl.

	"<She is a CHILD, a child. Bad enough
we must do this deed, but to kill children? This
is against everything we hold dear. I will NOT
tolerate this sort of thing.>" Cologne gestured
back at the now burning house. "<Now come on,
the police and fire crews will be hear shortly.>"

	"<Mascara has already taken the 
other two daughters of the Happosai disciple.
She states they will be made examples of, slaves
of the tribe.>"

	"<Feh. Isn't that what we have males
for?>" Cologne tried to remember the name of the
outspoken warrior. Oh yes, Lilac, one of those
who supported Mascara's policies. "<If that is her
order, then I shall make her the personal slave of
my granddaughter. That should be symbolic 
enough, even for Elder Mascara.>"

	Lilac wasn't satisfied, but Cologne saw
a wink from So Pu, one of those who supported
Cologne's views. While everyone knew that Cologne
did not agree with Mascara, they also knew that
Cologne would not dispute the other Elder's
authority. This would be seen by many as a
gesture of conciliation to Mascara.

	So Pu came over to assist with binding
the wounds of the little girl enough for her to be
taken away from the compound. She noted aloud
the damage and labored breathing of the child,
and ignored Lilac's comment about simply throwing
the child back into the fire.

	"<She IS almost Shampoo's age.>" So Pu
noted. "<Maybe two or three years older?>" In a
quieter voice that only Cologne could make out, she
continued. "<I hope you know what you're doing, 
Elder.>"

	In an equally quiet voice, Cologne answered.
"<So do I, child, so do I.>"
-----------------------------------
	"<EXILE!?>" Shampoo blinked. "<BUT I 
ONLY...>" She quieted at Cologne's gesture and
listened to her great-grandmother, who had often
been cruel in public, but who still cared deeply about
her granddaughter to those who could tell. Other
than Shampoo, that only consisted of five others in
the village who were trusted completely.<5>

	"<Child, what you did was publicly challenge
Mascara's authority. She has gotten even more mean
spirited than she was five years ago when we raided the
houses of those two disciples of Happosai. Now she
may call for YOU to be made an example of. What I'm doing
may seem harsh, but it isn't nearly as bad as what THAT
woman would do.>"

	"<But Great-grandmother!>"

	"<Hush child. Listen to me, as your mouth is
what has forced this issue. You are being sent into a
TEMPORARY exile. You can come back when you have
turned sixteen to fight to re-establish yourself in the 
Tribe. In the meantime, you are going to accomplish a
couple of very important tasks for me. I will send So Pu
after you later, when I can get over my anger at you 
for challenging the authority of an Elder.>" She winked
at Shampoo. "<That gives you seven years to establish
yourself as a skilled fighter. You are to take your slave
with you.>"

	Shampoo cheered up. "<Lipstick can come?>"

	"<I have placed in your pack an address, that of 
the other disciple's wife. She knows more of what is going on 
here, as I had a 'talk' with her while Lilac thought we were 
interrogating her. Explain who you are, and that Lipstick is
actually Kasumi Tendo, the daughter of an old friend of hers. 
She should take you in.>"

	Cologne thought for a moment, speaking aloud
so that she could show Shampoo how much confidence
she had in her great-granddaughter. "<So Pu will be sent
out of concern to check on you, then she'll find some 
excuse to challenge and be beaten by some strong fighter
in the area. She's seventeen now, so everyone will just
put it down to raging hormones. She'll then settle down
where she can keep an eye on you as well as being one
of our spies.>"

	Shampoo nodded. She liked So Pu, they had a
lot in common despite the age difference.

	"<I can't do anything about Scarlet, as 
Mascara has personally training the youngest of the
three Tendos as her personal 'Enforcer'. As you have
seen, she would harm her blood-sisters without a 
second thought if it meant recognition from Mascara 
and her clique. Gloss has been a frequent visitor to my
place, supposedly because I like her cooking, so if
she spends more time there doing duties that your
slave took care of, then it might not arouse too much
suspicion.>" Cologne noted the approach of someone
who was being careful to sneak. "<Sorry about this,
Shampoo, but we will be overheard if we continue.>"

	Shampoo nodded, understanding her role
as her great-grandmother gave her a public tongue 
lashing that sounded completely sincere.
---------------------------------
	Nodoka looked from one of the little girls
to the other. A twelve year old with purple hair, and
a fifteen year old with brown hair, both dressed in
Chinese clothing. She had listened to the story of
the purple-haired girl, well remembering that night
when armed amazons had overrun her house.

	She remembered Cologne especially well,
and she suspected she owed her life to the older
woman.

	There were a few things that didn't make
sense to her, though. "If she's supposed to be your 
slave, why are you the one carrying the backpack and
satchel?"

	"Pardon me, Mrs Saotome. It is because
of injuries I sustained the night of the attack, I suffer
from shortness of breath and a weak constitution."

	"Is so." Shampoo nodded at Kasumi's
confession. "We make sure many know Kasumi
not very strong so Kasumi stay with Great Grandma
most of time. Was necessary."

	"I see." Nodoka nodded. "How old are
you two?"

	"Shampoo nine year old. Kasumi twelve
year old," Shampoo nodded vigorously.  "Is OK.
Shampoo and Kasumi both very skilled at many
things. Shampoo good hunter, trained as warrior.
Kasumi good cook, know many Secret Amazon
Cooking Techniques."

	"Secret Cooking Techniques?"
Nodoka watched Kasumi blush.

	"Is so." Shampoo grabbed her
friend's shoulder. "Great grandma-ma not
able to teach Kasumi any fighting technique,
she say that just not way Kasumi ---"

	"She said that my orientation
wasn't as a warrior, but as a 'nurturer'," 
Kasumi bowed her head slightly.

	"Is so." Shampoo grinned.
"Amazons very big on strength, but
Kasumi Shampoo's friend! Even though
have to act like hard worked slave around
others. Kasumi nice girl! Shampoo is
warrior enough for both! Kasumi help
Shampoo with not-fight things, Shampoo
help Kasumi when need fight or strong
hands!"

	"I see," Nodoka smiled at the
two little girls. "Well then, we'll divvy up
the chores based on that. In the meantime,
we'll see what we can do about getting you
settled in."

	"<She seems nice,>" Kasumi 
remarked. 

	"<She is a warrior though, I can
tell. As the daughter of a friend, I expected
her to take you in. If I am allowed to stay,
then this is just...how you say, sauce for
the noodles?>"

	"<Uhm, something like that.>"
-----------------------------
	


	
(1) = yes, Grey is a self-insert char, he just appears
as part of the framing mechanism. i just used him
instead of some big shot fanfic writer or anime char
because i wanted to say "biiiiidah" to a few people.
To the more civilized and mature among you, my 
apologies at this flagrant self-insertion. He will 
cease appearing in this fic, by the end of this very
chapter.(6)
(2)=Toltiir is NOT a self-insert. Toltiir is meant to
represent a not entirely malicious god of primal
chaos, mischief, and practical jokes that changes
names/appearances/and modus operandi every
few centuries or so just to be different. He is NOT
omniscient, because "omniscience is boring."
(3)= Toltiir largely judges a person on how good
a sense of humor they have. A thoroughly evil
amoral person who loves puns would be more
to his liking than a humorless paladin. On the
other hand, he does have some appreciation for
paladins as the "straight man" useful for any
number of comic situations.
(4)=I've known a few people like this. End 
justifies the means, morality is a crutch for the
weak, anything you can get away with is
acceptable behavior. Fortunately, most grow
out of this stage...
(5)=Mousse would NOT be one of these. While
loyal to Shampoo, he's too easily tricked. So Pu
(Soap) is the only one detailed out so far.
(6)=No, Grey has not forgiven Toltiir for turning
him into an incubus. Grey is not Tarou, Toltiir is
not Happosai. Direct and hostile confrontation 
with someone who can change your molecular
structure including genetic code with a glare 
is not a good idea.

Amazon names: won't be used for the most part,
though Mascara's group will refuse to use the
character's proper names. Shampoo always refers
to Kasumi as Kasumi from now on except in 
flashbacks. There would be some backsliding
from Kasumi/Nabiki as use of their REAL names
would have been punished outside of Cologne's
private residence.  
Kasumi > Lipstick (Shampoo's personal valet/slave)
Akane > Scarlet (raised personally by Mascara to be
        a personal Enforcer/assassin)
Nabiki > Gloss (village slave, more on her later.)